Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brissago Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brissago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $3,553 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $5,342 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $7,131 in Brissago, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Brissago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Brissago is 164% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$28.28 CHF 22.60

-78.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$109 CHF 87.0

-69.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$16.98 CHF 13.57

-57.42%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$5.84 CHF 4.67

-72.09%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,904

$4.95 CHF 3.96

-77.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$4.78 CHF 3.82

-84.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$8.35 CHF 6.67

-79.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$6.33 CHF 5.06

-48.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$2.20 CHF 1.76

-52.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$3.40 CHF 2.72

-62.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$4.14 CHF 3.31

-68.12%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$7.09 CHF 5.66

-67.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$28.60 CHF 22.86

-84.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$35.43 CHF 28.32

-83.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$41.68 CHF 33.31

-79.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$3.40 CHF 2.72

-33.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$2.17 CHF 1.73

-50.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$2.88 CHF 2.30

-47.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$6.74 CHF 5.39

-78.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$2.23 CHF 1.78

-47.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$2.19 CHF 1.75

-46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$2.42 CHF 1.94

-63.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.15 CHF 0.92

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$11.42 CHF 9.12

-80.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$12.67 CHF 10.13

-12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.90 CHF 1.52

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$2.31 CHF 1.85

3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$3.90 CHF 3.11

-78.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$100 CHF 80.3

-58.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$8.23 CHF 6.58

-82.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$4.24 CHF 3.39

-55.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$93.9 CHF 75.1

-91.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$2.20 CHF 1.76

-54.09%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$40.8K CHF 32.6K

-56.89%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$58.1K CHF 46.4K

-54.40%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$366 CHF 292

-77.12%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$59.7 CHF 47.75

-84.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$57.7 CHF 46.14

-58.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$87.9 CHF 70.2

-71.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$24.89 CHF 19.90

-83.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$3,384 CHF 2,705

-90.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$40.1K CHF 32.0K

-85.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$154 CHF 123

-62.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$67.8 CHF 54.2

-51.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$173 CHF 138

-42.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$186 CHF 149

-41.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,725 CHF 1,379

-72.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,482 CHF 1,185

-74.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$2,877 CHF 2,300

-70.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$2,508 CHF 2,005

-71.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$17.8K CHF 14.2K

-84.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$12.3K CHF 9,825

-90.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.52

432.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Brissago: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $1,725 in Brissago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $109 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $638 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Brissago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $3,553 in Brissago – roughly 250% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $5,330 in Brissago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 236% more in Brissago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $109 in Brissago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Brissago at $3,553. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brissago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Medellin to $3,553 in Brissago. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brissago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.